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The Maroon Decree
The Maroon Decree was the infamous edict which was implemented in order to restore a semblance of order to Rum following a series of riots known as the Dark Evening. The Maroon Decree was implemented by then Baron of Rum, Baron Wrettin, though its chief architect was in fact Marshal Brazoriz. Background Tensions across the Rum Baroncy had been steadily increasing thanks to the implementation of Baron Wrettin's new segregation system which 'improved' upon the one left by the Kymurians. Most Rum citizens were too afraid to protest the new changes, however some, who wrongly thought they were powerful enough to, questioned Wrettin's new policies. This group of questioners tended to be those who believed themselves 'out of reach', usually they were pious holy men and sometimes rich patricians. Baron Wrettin, keen to remind the populace who was in control, had these pious dissenters beaten to death on the steps of the Mumbi White Palace by the Drisham Red Guard. The Dark Evening This provoked the local Anjuin populace into a protest which quickly degenerated into an enraged riot. The protest started outside the Mumbi White Palace where the crowds demanded the return of the bodies. The Drisham Red Guards burnt the bodies, cut them up, and then, much to their amusement, returned the bodies to the crowd by throwing individual burnt body parts into the crowd. The first casualty of the Dark Evening was Rifleman Ali Tufan of the Drisham guards who was stabbed escorting a Luker family back to their house. Ali's comrades shot at the assailants but failed to kill or apprehend any of them. Following this incident Captain Darius Yonal called a curfew of the surrounding area; this was ignored by the local populace and in fact drew more attention to the area. A large mob began to form and made its way up to the Drisham Police station were various projectiles were hurled at the building. The mob was dispersed after warning shots were fired from the windows. In Eastern Rum on Arjan street Corporal Parviz along with two other Riflemen were ambushed on their regular patrol route. A large crowd of angry Anjuins began hurling furniture out of windows and up the street at the three soldiers who subsequently had to break into a butchers shop to take cover. The crowd of about three hundred Anjuins gathered round the shop and broke the windows and began cursing, spitting and throwing stones at the soldiers behind the counters. Anjuins then attempted to enter the shop, the first two who did so were shot dead. Corporal Parviz sent a soldier out of the back of the shop to look for a way out. A gunshot at the back of the shop let Parviz know they were completely surrounded. While one soldier barricaded the back entrance, Parviz and the other began to indiscriminately fire at the crowd. After running out of ammunition they continued to fire blanks, until eventually they were relieved by local law enforcement. The whole situation began to deteriorate when Drisham cavalrymen began riding down rioters city-wide, initially attempts were made to arrest the dissenters but after Corporal Arun was pulled off of his mount, abducted and later found beaten to death the command was given to drop the batons and draw swords. Chaos ensued as companies of horsemen rode round the streets of Rum killing anyone who wasn't indoors. A large fire broke out due to rioting in the Abadun Ghetto, Drisham soldiers and other volunteers attempted to put out the fire but upon entering the Ghetto they came under a barrage of slingshot fire. Drisham soldiers fired back and killed fifteen rioters but were soon forced to withdraw after a three firefighter volunteers and one Drisham soldiers were injured. The fire then engulfed most of the Abadun Ghetto which forced thousands of citizens onto the streets which made the already bad situation much worse. Several hundred Lukers caught in the crowds (most of whom were fleeing families from the Abadun Ghetto) were either beaten to death or simply disappeared. Bodies of dead Lukers were lifted up and paraded around the front of the Mumbi White Palace, some Lukers were tied to the back of carriages and dragged through the streets until they were dumped in a large growing pile outside of the Palace. Limbs of the Lukers were then thrown at the Drisham Red Guards as revenge for the previous hurling of the holy men's body parts at the crowd. Defying orders, the Drisham Red Guards then opened the Mumbi White Palace gates to allow the crowd into the courtyard, a torrent of Anjuins streamed into the courtyard where they scythed down by vicious volley fire from the Red Gaurds. The crowd then began to disperse, however the Guardsmen, not all to amused with the current state of affairs, managed to close the courtyard doors and trap several hundred rioters in the courtyard. The subsequent wailing and screams combined with a surprising lack of sparkmusket fire marked an abrupt end to most of the rioting. =